If just one ethics complaint like these had been brought against Obama, he’d go postal and throw a major temper tantrum, screaming, “I won! I won! I won!”

The State-Run Media surround him like celebrity bodyguards, making sure that no one actually gets to ask Obama something of substance, something that’s off-the-cuff but on the minds of millions of Americans, something for which he has not planted a stooge in the audience to answer, and something that’s not already written on the TOTUS.

But, like Nicholson in a “Few Good Men” Obama can’t handle the truth,” No, and he can’t handle ANY kind of criticism either.

The hypocrisy in the Democratic Party is so thick, that you need a chain saw to cut through it. There could not be a starker contrast between these two political figures.

In Sarah, we have a strong, independent, moral, dedicated, God-fearing woman, mother, and wife.

In Obama, we have a Marxist Muslim anti-Semitic Socialist, weak-minded, undependable, unqualified, unprofessional, narcissistic, egotistic, and given to flights of fancy and delusions of grandeur.

Sarah will be the candidate in 2012 against Biden or an opponent unknown (Obama will have been impeached before then)

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@Aye

Do us both a favor and only address me when I choose to address you

Last thing first. Er…are there two Aye’s? The last Aye directed to me a perfectly polite question which I answered politely. The lastest Aye seems to have thrown his teddies out the pram. Fortunately you will have scrolled past this comment.

Pssst btw – *newflash* this credit crunch and bailout – is global. It effects all – and I’m not just talking about the US bailouts – but many other countries are acting like headless chickens also. So if you spent longer than a second thinking about that you would know the ‘disconnected’ line isn’t true at all.

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@GaffaUK:

The political landscape is littered with the brittle sun dried bones of those who have chosen to underestimate Sarah Palin.

Just because you don’t understand what Sarah Palin is doing doesn’t mean that she doesn’t know what she is doing.

Palin isn’t the first American politician to be written off as “done”. That happened in 1962 as well. Those of us who know history know how those predictions turned out.

The People are awakening to the nightmare that is Obie and the Dim controlled Congress.

Trillions of dollars have been thrown down a rat hole never to be seen again. The Gov’t has seized control of banks and auto companies. We currently have 28 unaccountable czars – soon to be more I’m sure. The IGs, the watchdogs of the People’s money, are being fired for daring to speak out. Unemployment is higher now than it has been in a quarter century.

There is a palpable feeling in the air that things are going the wrong way.

People are looking for someone who will emerge as a leader with answers to lead us out of this mess. A leader who can connect with them on a basic down to earth level. A leader who is able to articulate the views of the common American rather than just the political elite of the DC beltway class.

With all due respect Gaffe, you’re not here.

You’re there.

You’re not living here. You’re not working here. You’re not paying taxes here. You’re not walking the streets of America. You’re not walking to the bank or to the Post Office here. You’re not running a business here. You’re not talking to people on the phone from all around the United States.

You’re not listening to the People as they discuss what is going on.

You only get what you can dig up on the Internet or what the MSM is willing to feed you in the brief, tasty soundbytes which are clumsily wedged between Brittney Spears’ latest rehab and Michael Jackson’s cold, still dead corpse.

You’re not involved. You’re disconnected. You have no skin in the game.

So, please, spare us your armchair pontifications about subjects which you have no personal knowledge, involvement, or experience.

Finally, I’m going back to scrolling past your comments because I find them unworthy of my time. Do us both a favor and only address me on the rare occasion that I choose to address you.

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I’m not putting Alaska through that – I promised efficiencies and effectiveness! ? That’s not how I am wired. I am not wired to operate under the same old “politics as usual.” I promised that four years ago – and I meant it.

The above sentence explains the problem. Dwelling on her remarks about other governors, to me, is a red herring.

Her governance became stymied by “no end in sight” ethics complaints. As long as she remained in office the State of Alaska’s business would take a back seat to the work and cost it was taking to answer the never ending game being played by her opponents. She removed herself thus allowing Alaska to have a government they deserve, her promise was to be fiscally conservative, not waste taxpayer’s money and work hard for the state. As long as she remained in office that was not going to be possible.

Alaska has already spent over $2 million, there still over 150 FOIA’s left to be responded to and her legal fees have topped $500,000. How anyone can not understand this waste of time and money hasn’t affected her ability to govern is beyond my comprehension. She did the right thing and has since said if it harms her politically, “so be it.”

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@Aye

I have quit a political party because I considered they broke a manifesto promise.
And I quit a job after 11 years to go to Australia.

But I feel if I was elected by the public for a role then I would keep to that term limit irrespective of political alignment. I know I have felt annoyed when politicians do this and hand over to someone else who was not directly elected to that role. With Palin I don’t get the lame duck excuse either –

And so as I thought about this announcement that I wouldn’t run for re-election and what it means for Alaska, I thought about how much fun some governors have as lame ducks… travel around the state, to the Lower 48 (maybe), overseas on international trade – as so many politicians do. And then I thought – that’s what’s wrong – many just accept that lame duck status, hit the road, draw the paycheck, and “milk it”. I’m not putting Alaska through that – I promised efficiencies and effectiveness! ? That’s not how I am wired. I am not wired to operate under the same old “politics as usual.” I promised that four years ago – and I meant it.

Should all officials step down immediately when they decide they aren’t or can’t contest the next term? If Palin stayed on and finished her term – she didn’t believe she was ethical enough not to milk the system? What an odd binary choice.

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@GaffaUK:

Have you ever quit a job because you were being asked to do things that violated your personal principles?

I have.

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@Aye

Maybe so – but it’s still quitting. Resigning didn’t enable her to speak out as she was still gagged by the law apparently. Imagine if we all quit when we got frustrated at our jobs? I’m sure the POTUS has lots of frustrating issues. You stay in the game and resolve those issues as best you can out until your time is up.

@Wordsmith

Oh check this out…

U.S.A.: There is one lawyer for every 265 Americans

– the most per capita in the world

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_country_in_the_world_has_most_lawyers_per_capita

In general, tort reform advocates contend that out of the over 15 million lawsuits filed in the United States every year, there are too many frivolous lawsuits.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tort_reform

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@GaffaUK:

Ah yes, I figured that our resident Palin hater would dredge up some article from 2004 so that he could point to it and say “See, she’s a quitter.”

Well, gaffe, let’s look at the content of the article shall we?

Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Chairwoman Sarah Palin said Friday she is resigning amid frustration that she is being forced to keep silent about ethics allegations against Republican Party of Alaska chairman Randy Ruedrich.

“I’m forced to withhold information from Alaskans, and that goes against what I believe in as a public servant,” Palin said in a Friday interview.

::snip::

Palin has deflected numerous questions from the press about the Ruedrich affair in recent weeks. The Alaska Department of Law has told her that she cannot talk about the ethics allegations against Ruedrich, even after she resigns.

Palin said frustration over the gag order made her conclude it was time to quit, but she said it wasn’t the only reason.

::snip::

Palin said it was hard to do her job with potential civil penalties hanging over her head if she talked about what went on at her agency.

Hmmmm….. a political appointee with personal ethics and standards who is not afraid to speak out when those personal ethics and standards are being infringed upon.

Imagine that.

I’d prefer to have politicians who are willing to give up the $122K a year job and speak out when things are going south rather than stay in the position and continue to collect the checks.

YMMV

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@Wordsmith

Well on his resume – he has successfully been elected three times to the Illinois Senate, has been a US Senator for Illinois and made history as the first black man to become President. I think that dwarves any of our achievements and certainly Palin’s. Now – it also depends on what he did as senator – and like most, I haven’t been following his career before he appeared on the scene when he campaigned to become Democrat Presidential nominee. Judging by the responses on here – it’s just voting present – although I suspect it’s probably more than that. I tried reading one of his books but gave up as it was dull and most of his rhetoric when running as President didn’t have much substance. I’m not overly convinced whether the bail-outs will prove to work in the mid to long term. Judging by the Dow-Jones – things have got better – although it’s still turbulent.

What are Palin accomplishments?

You can bash Palin for her decisions all you want,

Yep bashing is fine – same as you guys bash Obama. It’s debate…and as I say she is happy to roll her sleeves up and make distorting comments/smear herself.

but you say nothing to address the issues that Mata raises outlining the blatant attacks on her

Not quite true – I even defended her recently on here when Ghost criticised her over the fact that her daughter got pregnant. I didn’t think that should reflect badly on her because teenagers will rebel.

Do you think that it is okay that she has been the target of a massive character assassination campaign, locally and nationally.

I think that is somewhat of an exaggeration as the things that have been flung at her contain a mixture of legit criticism as well as unfair below the belt stuff. Again look at the stuff the guys on here say about Obama. Apparently he’s the Anti-Christ. Doesn’t matter if FA isn’t the MSM – why complain about how public figures are treated when that same respect isn’t shown by ‘some’ of those on here.

Do you think that it is okay that the state has had to pay out millions defending her against these bogus allegations?

2 million is a small drop in Alaska’s revenues. However of course it could be better spent. The US is the land of the lawyers. Dare I suggest that the US have ‘federal’ regulations covering what’s acceptable and what’s not acceptable for the behaviour of and towards public figures – in regards to privacy etc? Or at least improve current laws? Palin wanted ethic reforms and wanted to be accountable and maybe some of those who complained, however partisan, believe they have legit complaints. However why does it take 2 million? I don’t know how it works but I don’t see why a judge can’t look at these things at a preliminary stage and whittle it down to what should be investigated and what’s just fluff – before the lawyers get their teeth into it.

Do you think that it is okay that her family has had to run up a half million in legal bills to defend against these same allegations?

No – it’s not okay. But again I think the whole ethic complaints along with suing someone is a particular american disease which just goes too far. Unfortunately more countries like the UK have also started to go down this route. It’s shame the GOP couldn’t bankroll her to defend her. Are they prohibited from doing this? However the 7 million or so she will get from her book will help her pay her half million legal fees. I also wonder how much the Clintons (and the US taxpayer) have paid in legal fees and whether back in the late 90s how the President of US got distracted and bogged down for about a year by a partisan investigation (sound familar) into the Whitewater affair which somehow meandered into his affair with Lewinsky. He might have been guilty of the affair but the tremendous cost of such moralising when your’s and other countries have a history of leaders having affairs – it simply ridiculous.

Is this the hope and change that we have to look forward to in America, where if you don’t like a particular candidate or official, you just sue them into political oblivion?

No it’s not. But quitting makes it only worst – like when countries pay ransom to terrorists. Again most of these complaints were dismissed. As a fighter, Palin should of fought, reorganised herself so she was able to do her job. However I believe, although irritating – she bailed as she could see staying wasn’t in her best interest. She already quit once so it’s her MO. How very maverick. Still she moans about the intrusion – but watch how she will be crying all the way to the bank as she does TV, books etc. Sorry but I don’t have much sympathy for those like Princess Diana and Jacko who complained about the spotlight but were happy to get it’s massive benefits as well – or even abuse it themselves. Washing your dirty laundry in interviews, dangling babies from balconies and saying the President ‘pals around with terrorists’ is playing with fire. Don’t cry when you get burnt. If she doesn’t like the spotlight then don’t play in it.

It is hard enough to find good people willing to serve in public office, with their lives being put under a microscope, but this new way of destroying their ability to serve is disturbing, and will hurt us all in the long run.

I agree – hence let’s have a code of conduct. MPs in the UK have recently been put under the microscope with their expenses. Some of the complaints is petty but they were caught – not really doing anything illegal in most cases – but they were milking the system. So in that case – things need to be laid out – as to what’s a reasonable expense and what is not. Same with Palin and any other US politician about their travel expenses with and without family etc etc.

It might be the preferred political tactic in your mother country, but it isn’t welcome here.

No – I would say the British tabloids are worst than the US but the whole suing thing is far worst in the US than probably any country in the world – and it’s been that way for decades – even if it’s getting even worst over there.

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@GaffaUK: I’m still waiting for someone to show me an accomplishment by BO other than “community organizing”.

You can bash Palin for her decisions all you want, but you say nothing to address the issues that Mata raises outlining the blatant attacks on her. Do you think that it is okay that she has been the target of a massive character assassination campaign, locally and nationally. Do you think that it is okay that the state has had to pay out millions defending her against these bogus allegations? Do you think that it is okay that her family has had to run up a half million in legal bills to defend against these same allegations?

Is this the hope and change that we have to look forward to in America, where if you don’t like a particular candidate or official, you just sue them into political oblivion? It is hard enough to find good people willing to serve in public office, with their lives being put under a microscope, but this new way of destroying their ability to serve is disturbing, and will hurt us all in the long run. It might be the preferred political tactic in your mother country, but it isn’t welcome here.

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